Pumping unit



3 r. w s I W A ilil. I 9 I E ah. a 9w n "m {h g1 4 M T: w n u m n .illlullul I A F u m w u 3 8 l I FL July 1, 1958 F. E. DADDARIO PUMPING UNIT Filed June 12, 1953 1 8mm} Efiaddaajl'o,

United States Patent "ce PUMPING UNIT Francis E. Daddario, Reading, Mass. Application June 12, 1953, Serial No. 361,107

6 Claims. (Cl. 103113) This invention relates to pumping units particularly adapted for use where operating conditions necessitate safeguards against loss of priming.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 328,939 dated December 31, 1952, a pumping unit is disclosed in which a first pump is employed to circulate water or other liquid from the bottom of a tank through an ejector and back to the upper part of the tank with reference to which the pump is so located as to be maintained primed by its contents. The suction tube of the ejector is in priming communication with a second pump which discharges directly into the delivery system. The tank has an outlet that is usually also connected to that system.

Under certain conditions or use, such as where the lift is abnormal, additional safeguards against pumping failure are necessary and it is to the provision of such that the present invention is primarily directed. In accordance with it, a pumping unit consists of a first pump which circulate'sthe liquid from the bottom to the top of the tank and through an ejector. As in said application, the pump is so located with reference to the tank as to be maintained primed by its contents. The suction tube of the ejector is connected to the upper end of a standpipe which is in priming communication with a second pump whose outlet is connected to the delivery system.

With such a pumping unit, the suction tube may be closed relative to the standpipe, as by means of a float controlled valve, when there is a suitable supply of liquid therein. With the tank vented and not connected to the delivery system, the constantly primed first pump is operative only to circulate the tank contents to provide suction by which liquid is drawn into the standpipe to provide priming for the second pump and to withdraw whatever gases enter the system from the liquid source. With the tank connected to the delivery system and the float controlled valve or its equivalent either held open or eliminated, the first pump discharges, via the tank, into the system. The pumping unit may also include a valve controlled conduit to bypass both the ejector and the tank and a valve controlled inlet to effect communication between the inlet of the first pump and the standpipe instead of the tank.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a partly sectioned elevational view of a pumping unit in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a further embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the pumping unit shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section, on an increased scale,

2,841,088 Patented July 1, 1958 through the float controlled air relief valve employed in the pumping unit shown in both Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, a tank 10 is shown as having a standpipe 11 extending axially therethrough with its top and bottom 12 and 13, respectively, sealed thereto, said top 12 having an air vent 14 but is otherwise air-tight. The standpipe 11 is in open communication with the inlet 15 of a pump 16 whose outlet is connected to the delivery system, indicated at 17, and shown as having a check valve 18 therein to prevent back flow of liquids and gases.

Both the standpipe 11 and the inlet 15 are in open communication with the conduit 19 to the source and they are protected by a screen 20 from the entry'therein of particles of a size larger than the pump 16 can handle. It will also be noted that the inlet 15 is so dimensioned relative to the pump 16 that the pump is completely inundated as the water rises in the standpipe 11. At 21, there is shown a priming pump and, for convenience, the pumps 16 and 21 are shown as driven by a common shaft 22.

The inlet 23 of the priming pump 21 is in communication with the lower part of the tank 10 while its outlet 24 is connected to the upper part thereof so that when the tank 10 is suitably filled with liquid, the pump 21 is always primed and, when in operation, it circulates the tank contents from the bottom to the top thereof.

Baffle means in the tank are located between the out= let 2 and the air vent 14 and, as indicative of such means, there is shown a baflle plate 25 having a centrally located opening providing apassageway 25 of Suf ficiently greater diameter than the standpipe 11 to meet the requirements of the pump 21. Included in the out: let 24 is an ejector 26 whose suction tube 27 is in communication with the upper end of thestandpipe 11 thus to draw liquid upwardly therein which will be effective to prime the pump 16. A check valve 28 in the suction tube 27 serves to prevent the tank contents from being siphoned towards the source.

A valve 29 controlled by a float 30 in the standpipe 11 is employed to close the suction tube 27 when the standpipe 11 is full to a predetermined level. For convenience, the valve 29 is shown as of the flapper type and is usually of flexible material and because of the substantial suction that is exerted thereon, the float 30 is connected to the free end thereof thus to exert a stripping force thereon. Assuming the tank 10 to be filled with water, the pump 21 is always primed so that whenever it is in operation suction is created in the tube 27, thus to draw liquid upwardly to prime the pump 16. When the standpipe 11 is filled, the valve 29 closes and it remains closed so long as the standpipe 11 is full.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2, the priming pump 21 is employed to deliver liquid to the delivery system 17. It will be noted that the pumping unit is generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except that while the valve 29 and its operating means may be omitted, they are shown as being capable of being held open by a turned-down screw 31 or its equivalent. In addition, the tank 10 is provided with a float controlled air relief valve generally indicated at 32, instead of the vent 14 shown in Fig. 1, and an outlet 33 connected to the delivery system 17 and provided with a check valve 34 to prevent back flow into the tank 10. Thus, when the standpipe 11 is filled, continued operation of the priming pump 21 is attended by delivery of liquid to the system 17.

The valve 32 is shown in more detail in Fig. 5 from which it will be noted that there is a chamber 35 whose vent 36 defines one seat for the float valve element 37 while the port 38 in the tank top 12 constitutes the 3 other seat for the element 3'7. Surrounding the seat 38, there are a plurality of vents 39 enabling air to escape 50 1 fi tetaals l lwh nthe e em t-37. c o t p r It will be obvious that when liquid rises into the chamber 35, the valve element 37 floats upwardly to close the a f. V I .1,

In theembodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3

a pumping unit is shown that, while essentially similar to that shown in Fig. 2, includes additional controls to render it well adapted to meet a wide range of operating requirements.

For that reason, the inlet 23for the pump 21 includes a branch conduit 40 in communication with the upper end of the standpipe 11. *At the junction of the inlet 23 and branch conduit 40 there is a two-way valve 41 adapted to connect them'in the alternative to the pump 21.- In this embodiment of the invention, the float is-so, located as to close the valve 29 only when the liquid level is above the branch conduit 40. With the inlet 23 closed with respect to the tank It), the tank ltl may be completely isolated by turning the two-way valve 42 from its normal position in which liquid is delivered to the ejector;26 on its return to the tank to the position-in which the liquid is .pumped directly to the delivery system 17 through the conduit 43.

In the operation of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, it is assumed that the tank 10 is sufiiciently full to maintain the pump 21 primed. If the valve 31 is held open, liquid is pumped bythe pump 21 into the tank 10 and discharged therefrom through the branch line 33 into the delivery system 17.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 3,

operation is premised on the tank 10 being sulficiently full to enable the pump 21 to operate in the manner already described. After the standpipe 11 is full, the valve 29 may be held open so that it may operate in the manner of the pump shown in Fig. 2.

With the valve 41 set to close the intake of the pump 21 with respect to the tank 10 and to open it with respect to the standpipe 11 and with the valve 42 positioned to connect the conduit 43 to the outlet of the pump 21, the pumping apparatus may be operated with the tank 10 bypassed.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that pumping units in accordance with the invention are well adapted to function free of loss of priming under a wide range of operating conditions.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In pumping apparatus, the combination of a tank. a first pump having an inlet in communication with the lower part of said tank and an outlet in communication with the upper part thereof, said first pump being disposed relative to said tank to be primed by the head thereof, a standpipe having an outlet, a second pump including an inlet with which the inlet of said standpipe is in priming communication, said standpipe being arranged above said second pump and having a capacity greater than that required to prime said second pump and said outlet for said first pump including an ejector. and a suction tube effecting communication between said ejector and the upper part of said standpipe.

2. In pumping apparatus, the combination of a tank, a first pump having an inlet in communication with the lower part of said tank and an outlet in communication with the upper part thereof, said first pump being disposed relative to said tank to be primed by the head thereof, a standpipe having an inlet, a second pump having an inlet with which the inlet of said standpipe is in priming communication, said standpipe being arranged above said second pump and having a capacity greater than that required to prime said second pump said outlet for said first pump including an ejector, and a suction tube effecting communication between said ejector and the upper part of said standpipe, .and means including a float in said standpipe to close said suction tube relative thereto when the liquid in the standpipe reaches apredetermined level.

3. In pumping apparatus, the combination of a tank, a first pump having an inlet in communication with the lower part of said tank and an outlet in communication with the upper part thereof, said first pump being disposed relative to said tank to-be primed by the head thereof, a standpipe having an inlet, a second pump including an inlet with which the inlet of said standpipe is in priming communication said standpipe being arranged above said second pump and having a capacity greater than that required to prime said second pump, and said outlet for said first pump including an ejector, and a suction tube effecting communication between said ejector and the upper part of said standpipe, and a check valve in said suction tube to block flow of liquid from the tank towards said standpipe.

4. In pumping apparatus, the combination of a tank, a first pump having an inlet in communication with the lower part of said tank and an outlet in communication with the upper part thereof, said first pump being disposed relative to said tank to be primed by the head thereof, a standpipe having an inlet, a second pump having an inlet with which the inlet of said standpipe is in priming communication said standpipe being arranged above said second pump and having a capacity greater than that required to prime said second pump and whose inlet is dimensioned to ensure the inundation of said second pump as the liquid rises in said standpipe, and said outlet for said first pump including an ejector, and a suction tube effecting communication between said ejector and the upper part of said standpipe.

5. In pumping apparatus, the combination of a tank, including a valve controlled outlet and a float controlled vent, a first pump having an inlet in communication with the lower part of said tank and an outlet in communication with the upper part thereof, said first pump being disposed relative to said tank to be primed by the head thereof, a standpipe having an inlet and an outlet, a second pump having an inlet with which the outlet of said standpipe is in priming communication, said standpipe being arranged above said second pump and having a capacity greater than that required to prime said second pump, and with whose outlet the tank outlet is in communication, said outlet for said first pump including an ejector and a suction tube eifecting communication between said ejector and the upper part of said standpipe, a conduit to bypass said ejector in communication with the outlet of said second pump, valve means operable to control the discharge from said first pump for delivery to said ejector or to said bypass conduit, a branch inlet conduit effecting communication between the upper part of said standpipe and the inlet for the first pump, and valve means in control of the inlet and branch inlet conduits and operable to connect said tank and said standpipe to the first pump in the alternative.

6. In pumping apparatus, the combination of a tank, a first pump having an inlet in communication with the lower part of said tank and an outlet in communication with the upper part thereof, said first pump being dis posed relative to said tank to be primed by the head thereof, a standpipe having an outlet extending axially through said tank, a second pump including an inlet with which the outlet of said standpipe is in priming communication, said standpipe being arranged above said second pump and having a capacity greater than that required to prime said second pump and said outlet for said first pump including an ejector and a suction tube effecting communication between said ejector and the upper part of said standpipe.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nash May 23, 1905 Jauch et al. July 26, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1909 Great Britain of 1898 6 Sweden Aug. 12, 1908 Great Britain Dec. 11, 1930 Great Britain Oct. 6, 1932 France of 1914 Great Britain June 20, 1939 Germany Nov. 11, 1938 

